A headphone unit, or headphones, is a personal audio listening accessory that can be connected to an audio output device for a user to listen to audio playback. Audio output devices may include computers, portable media players, mobile phones, and many other similar devices. As compared to large speaker systems that are stationary, headphone units are highly portable and can be carried with a person throughout his or her daily activities. Additionally, headphone units, although not able to produce the sound of stationary speaker systems, are able to produce adequate sound to enable a pleasurable listening experience for a mobile user.
With the advancement of technologies that can be incorporated in mobile devices such as smartphones, similar technology can be incorporated into headphone units. Headphone units, regardless of type or manufacturer, share the basic functionality of converting electrical audio signals into sound pressure waves via one or more speakers and directing those sound pressure waves to a user of the headphone unit. As other mobile technology such as mobile phones have increased in functionality, headphones may also become more advanced and increase their utility to a user.
Some headphone units may be equipped with active noise-cancellation, wherein ambient noise surrounding the headphones is blocked from being passed through the speakers of the headphones. Typically, while the active noise-cancellation is occurring, a user of the headphones is simultaneously receiving audio input from an audio device (e.g., listening to music from a portable music device). The noise-cancellation function allows the user to listen to his or her music at a lower volume and/or in a relatively noisy environment. However, noise-cancellation, particularly when coupled with audio input, such as music being passed through the speakers of the headphones, may isolate the user from his or her environment.
The inventors herein have recognized the above issue and provide an approach to at least partly address it. In one embodiment, a method for an always listening function of a headphone unit comprises analyzing ambient noise surrounding the headphone unit; upon detection of a pre-determined sound, executing an alert to a user of the headphone unit; and manipulating audio playback following an input command received from the user in response to the alert. In this way, the user may be alerted of the pre-determined sound even when a noise cancellation system is active and/or while receiving audio input from an audio device.
In one example, the method may detect and analyze the predetermined sound, such as a user's name, a voice above a volume threshold, sound from a siren, or horn. Responsive to the detection of the predetermined sound, the user may be provided with an alert, such as a pause or decrease in volume in the audio playback being passed through the speakers. The user may input a command in response to the alert, indicating whether he or she wishes to respond to the predetermined sound. For example, if the user wishes to respond to the sound, the user may nod his or her head or issue a voice command (e.g., say ‘yes’). As a result, the audio output by the speakers may be paused to allow at least a portion of the predetermined sound and/or ambient noise in the environment to be passed through the speakers.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.